Dove goes back to school

Going back to school after the summer is tough for most kids, but this new campaign for Dove Canada shows that it's not just the lessons or homework that some dread returning to. 

Created by Ogilvy Toronto and directed by Henry-Alex Rubin through SMUGGLER@Soft Citizen, this two-minute film takes us on a tour through a school where, at various points, we're shown young girls who are plagued by self-doubt and upset at a perceived physical flaw. 

Called Most Likely To, the film takes a steer from traditional yearbook photos as the camera stops on each girl before a camera-like flash fills the screen followed by their personal concern, couched in the terminology of a yearbook; 'Most likely to hate school because of my smile', or Most likely to drop gym because of my thighs'. 

Dove reports that two out of three girls stop participating in school because they hate the way they look and that, from raising their hand in class to joining extracurricular activities, low self-esteem is holding girls back from their real potential. "Our new campaign," says the brand, "shows that it doesn't need to be this way," with Dove helping to bring confidence to every classroom with free virtual workshops for all schools and teachers across Canada. "Because teaching our girls to love themselves can be their most important lesson," Dove continues, before thanking the girls in the film, Tajia, Olive, Alyssa, Loralei and Sophia for their bravery in sharing their real stories with the world.